The MTA’s five fare-free bus pilot route first went into effect back in September 2023, and though just last month officials were talking about the program potentially tripling in size, it instead will soon come to an end.
Albany lawmakers recently passed the latest state budget, and NYC’s free public bus pilot program was left out of it.
According to amNY, Queens Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, the prime backer of the pilot in Albany’s lower chamber, stated:
I’m saddened we were not able to extend or expand the successful fare-free bus pilot. This was a crucial, universal program that put money back into the pockets of working-class New Yorkers, giving them economic relief and peace of mind. This has real consequences – 1 in 5 New Yorkers can’t afford the fare.
The pilot program, which was present across all five boroughs, cost $15 million to fund and was initially enacted as a way to get New Yorkers back onto the bus system after the pandemic caused ridership levels to drop.
The free buses ran on the M116, Q4, Bx18, B60, and S46/96 routes.
But according to amNY, MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber just last week spoke out against the free bus program, stating that it “send[s] the wrong message at a moment that [the MTA is] trying to push back on fare evasion.”
And though the MTA has not yet released their report on the impacts of the pilot program–besides stating last December that ridership was up 7-20% on the free bus routes–Lieber stated Wednesday, April 17th, that the program didn’t appear to be “benefitting the lowest-income folks.”
amNY writes that though it’s not entire clearly when the pilot will end, it won’t run any later than September of this year.
On the flip side, lawmakers and transit advocates secured $12.3 million for enhanced bus service on select lines, including the M35, X6, and X64 buses.